Qualcomm has officially unveiled its latest chipset, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, positioning it as a compelling option for premium smartphones that won’t break the bank. This new processor brings several notable improvements over its predecessor while introducing an intriguing CPU configuration that could deliver impressive multi-threaded performance.
Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 : A Surprising Name and Architecture
Despite earlier rumors suggesting it would be called the “Snapdragon 8s Elite,” Qualcomm opted for the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 moniker for this China-launched processor. This naming decision likely stems from the chipset’s use of standard Arm Cortex CPU cores rather than Qualcomm’s custom Oryon technology found in the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite.
The CPU configuration represents a significant departure from traditional smartphone processor designs. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 features:
- One Cortex-X4 core at 3.2GHz
- Three Cortex-A720 cores at 3GHz
- Two Cortex-A720 cores at 2.8GHz
- Two Cortex-A720 cores at 2GHz
Most notably, Qualcomm has eliminated the efficiency-focused “little” cores entirely, opting instead for an all-medium-and-big-core approach. While the processor shares the same big and medium cores as the 8s Gen 3, this architectural shift suggests we can expect substantially improved multi-core performance. Qualcomm claims a 31% CPU performance boost over last year’s model, though it hasn’t specified whether this refers to single or multi-core benchmarks.
Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 : Graphics and Gaming Upgrades
The Snapdragon incorporates an Adreno GPU featuring the same sliced architecture that debuted in the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite. According to materials from Qualcomm China, this GPU includes two slices (compared to the Elite’s three) and 12MB of dedicated memory.
Gamers will appreciate the substantial 49% graphical performance improvement over the previous generation. The chip also supports advanced features like ray tracing and Qualcomm’s Game Super Resolution 2.0 technology, bringing flagship-level gaming capabilities to more affordable devices.
AI and Computational Photography Advancements
The new processor doesn’t skimp on AI capabilities either. With an enhanced NPU and twice the shared memory of its predecessor, the Snapdragon delivers 44% faster AI performance according to Qualcomm’s benchmarks.
Photography enthusiasts will benefit from several camera upgrades, including:
- Support for 320MP snapshots (up from 200MP)
- 108MP single-camera capability with multi-frame processing
- Triple 36MP camera configurations
- 4K/30fps low-light video recording
- Up to 250 layers of real-time segmentation in photos and videos
- Real-time skin and sky tone correction
- Truepic authentication for verifying image authenticity
However, the chip does make some video compromises compared to Qualcomm’s top-tier offerings. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 forgoes 8K/30fps, 4K/120fps, and 720p/960fps capabilities, instead focusing on 4K/60fps and 1080p/480fps recording options.
While Qualcomm hasn’t yet announced which smartphones will feature the new Snapdragon, this chipset is positioned to power the next generation of premium mid-range devices that deliver flagship-like performance at more accessible price points.
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